Released five years ago in 2016,Pokemon GOhas proven to be surprisingly popular in the long term, especially for a mobile game. In fact, it’s one of the highest-performing games on mobile, not just for Nintendo, but ever.
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Despite its popularity, people have a lot to say about the game (especially online) in the wake ofNiantic’s decision to loosen COVID-based changesto the game. Even long-time fans don’t find everything aboutPokemon GOto be quite as magical as when it was first released.
10Pokemon GO Needs More Content
The one major complaint that new players toPokemon GOhave when coming from otherPokemongames is that there isn’t enough to do. This was especially true when the game was first released, as it was entirely about collecting withvery little focus on battling.
UserNoobkindargued that the lack of an endgame and the developer’s reliance on repeated events makes for a lackluster experience after a while. Doing the same things over and over can get very wearisome, after all.
9It Doesn’t Feel Like An Adventure
WhenPokemon GO wasfirst released, video gaming fans from all walks of life came together to experience what was sure to be agrand newPokemonexperience. In most ways, it delivered on this promise.
Ananonymous userpointed out that over time,Pokemon GOfelt less like an adventure and more like a traditional game with constant grinding. The lack of fun research quests in the game is something specific the user noted.
8Getting Legendaries In Pokemon GO Is More Satisfying
Finding shiny Pokemon in the mainlinePokemongames is a real treat,and typically super rare. Catching legendaries and shinies inPokemon GOis even tougher, tending to be tied to special events or specific Raids.
UserDaneCz123argues that while it’s a lot harder, the difficulty and skill needed to catch one of these Pokemon makes it feel like more of a reward. It’s a bit more fun to boast about a legendary that very few other people have, after all.
RNG stands for Random Number Generator and is a catch-all term used to describe random chance in video games. RNG is present inPokemon GOin a lot of ways, like spawn chances, catch rates and other affected factors.
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UserDearpimpzsays that while it can be frustrating, catching a Pokemon after many tries make it feel a lot more special than if it was guaranteed every time. This is especially true of shiny Pokemon, which can take dozens of tries over a long period of time.
6Battle League Isn’t Fun Thanks To Legendary Teams
Pokemon GO’s Battle League is a place where players can earn a ton of Stardust, find rare Pokemon, and battle with other players' best offerings. Unfortunately, though, these battles tend to be chock full of nearly impossibly difficult opponents.
UserPrison-M1keargues that Battle League is not enjoyable thanks to the overabundance of Legendary Pokemon teams. It’s not original, and it’s a lot more fun to play against unique enemies and team compositions than the same recognizable Legendaries.
5It Should Show Contacts Who Are Active, Not Everyone
Typically, mobile games will suggest players connect with friends who also use the app andmay offer special incentivesfor getting others to start in the first place.Pokemon GOis no exception to this almost universal rule.
User_tinygoblinpoints out that it would be a lot nicer ifPokemon GOpicked out contacts who have already downloaded the app rather than encourage players to bother their friends. It’d make connecting with real-life people a lot easier, that’s for sure.
4Trickling In New Pokemon Is Better Than Large Updates
ThePokemonseries is known for releasing completely new worlds and swathes of new Pokemon with every new entry.Pokemon GO’s approach is a little different, trickling in Pokemon from the mainline series slowly over time.
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Usergrrreatscottsays that while this change is understandably disliked by many players, it helped them connect with those in the “spotlight” more than if a bunch of new Pokemon randomly got added all at once.
3No More Pokemon With Hats
One of the major problems many players had, and continue to have, with events inPokemon GOare the rewards. Some special events rewardunique versions of Pokemonwith hats, none of which can be evolved.
UserDuplicaDitto96argues that while these Pokemon are cute and all, they should be able to evolve just like the rest. It would be easy to implement, too, as the only major difference would be hat placement.
2Niantic’s Monetization Practices
One of the most controversial aspects of just about every free mobile game is its monetization.Pokemon GOoffers a few in-game items and upgrades for real-life money, but ultimately a player canget through just fine without spendinga dime.
UserJonyrabbitpoints out that spending money isn’t required in the game, but the prices offered are perfectly acceptable. Spending money on something you love to support it is never a bad thing, after all.
1The Quality of the Pokemon GO Subreddit
As with most subreddits dedicated to one specific hobby, thePokemon GOsubreddit feels somewhat stale after a while. Posts tend to die out after initial hype has ended, and the popularity of the main Pokemon subreddit makes it compete for visitors.
UserStanxvfelt the need to point out the lack of actual content on the sub, specifically pointing out the overabundance of screenshots of new Pokemon that someone caught. Commenters pointed out that an alternative subreddit, /r/theSilphRoad, is a little bit more nuanced and better moderated.
